12-Year-Old Charged with Hate Crime for Attack on Muslim Students in Connecticut

The assault, which involved ripping off hijabs and physical injuries, has prompted calls for systemic anti-bullying reforms in schools.

The 12-year-old student from Wallace Middle School in Waterbury, Connecticut, was charged with intimidation based on bigotry and bias in juvenile court.
Two 13-year-old Muslim girls, recent immigrants from Egypt, were attacked in the school locker room, leaving one with facial injuries and the other with neck abrasions.
The victims’ hijabs were forcibly removed during the attack, which authorities determined was motivated by religion and ethnicity, meeting the legal definition of a hate crime.
The Waterbury Department of Education has implemented disciplinary actions and enhanced safety measures, though local officials have described the incident as isolated.
CAIR-CT disputes the characterization of the attack as isolated and is advocating for mandatory anti-bullying training focused on racial and religious discrimination in schools.